Naïve Affections
by Inferni
Summary: Love was not something she understood at all. She was in a game in which no one had told her the rules, the objective, or even how to play. But she was determined to try, and that was what scared her. Protagonist/Aerie. Oneshot.


For you visual readers, the Bhaalspawn of my story is a NG Half-Elf Fighter. Here's his picture (I did NOT draw it. Infact, I based his entire character off of it. Obviously, replace * with .):

cassinus*free*fr/Hommes/M_G_020L*BMP

* * *

Dusk began to break the sky, the bright blue slowly turning a beautiful hue of gold over an otherwise dreary isle. Just ahead loomed the fortress asylum of Spellhold, squatting atop a needle that rose from the sea. Tomorrow, they would reach the sinister stronghold, and free a friend from an unjust sentence.

But that was not now. The present held its own challenges and obstacles, as the young avariel Aerie was learning, growing more and more anxious over in empty company. She sat at the edge of camp, not a single limb tired despite the vast trek from Brynnlaw. Her blankets were ruffled from where she had tried to sleep, but her soul was completely restless. Instead, she gazed across the camp at where the others prepared to retire, and the reason for her insomnia was located.

Minsc, her guardian, now that he had proclaimed her his witch, was already gone for the evening. The enormous man was sprawled on a wool blanket before the fire, drooling as little Boo sat atop his chest and stared at his open maw with apparently great interest. Or maybe the Hamster was asleep, what little she had seen of the rodent, he, or she, had never blinked.

Yoshimo was taking first watch, the bounty hunter sitting pretzel atop a boulder a bit east of camp. Of anyone else, the only one possibly more agitated than her was he, having grown more edgy as they drew closer to the Cowled Wizards' Prison. The no longer winged elf's theory was that he unjustably feared his position would be taken by Imoen upon her rescue, but she couldn't be sure and would not ask him. He had not intruded on her brooding and angst earlier in their journey, and she would not intrude on his.

Then there was Jaheira. In Aerie's early travels among the party, she had near hated the harper. The girl had found the older woman to be 'nagging' always, and she had rightfully judged the recent widow a rival in her quest for affection. But they had grown a truce between them, once the contest for Silver's heart became decided.

_Silver…_

The source of her inability to sleep, the half-elf stooped atop a tree stump, prodding the embers of the fire. The child of the dead deity Bhaal had shed his form-fitting armor, his muscles even more outlined apparent without the tight coif. She had seen him tear whole gibberlings in two with that strength, but the girl's soul refused to allow the rest of her to fear him for it. She knew only by his brief gazes that he would sooner cut off his own arms than physically harm her.

Sarevok's Blade rested on the grass to the left, its power dormant and uncalled. Silver had claimed the weapon not for its power, but for a personal quest to redeem the massive blade. He believed that dousing the blade in selfless, good deeds would eventually remove the abyssal taint that his half-brother had placed upon it after using the sword in so many acts of chaos and evil. Indeed, while the blade had lost much of its power with its former master's demise, it had reacted to Silver as it only could to another Bhaalspawn, and continued to react as he cut his path through Bodhi's Vampire Guild. Only would tell, however, if his attempts would bear fruit.

But these were trivial details that did not describe his current, internal state. His warm water eyes were distant, and she supposed it was fair that he had much to contemplate. The foul mage Jon Irenicus had, in essence, kidnapped his friend. But that was far from all, for from what little she had pried from the others, she had learned that the spellcaster had also tortured him in attempt to unlock the evil of his divine heritage. It undoubtedly still troubled the half-elf still, as she would sometimes here him tossing and mumbling in assumed Nightmares.

But yet, she dared to wonder if he may have been thinking about another… herself. It was no secret, the two had almost made their feelings public a short while ago, right after to one another. But where before she had known that discovering her crush's own feelings was the first step, her emotions told her nothing of how to proceed following this.

Love was not something she understood at all. She was in a game in which no one had told her the rules, the objective, or even how to play. But she was determined to try, and that was what scared her. Whereas her sweet Uncle Quayle had told her many stories of the Struggle to reach Romance, the simple "Happily Ever After" gave her no clues as to how to follow-up a declaration of mutual feelings. It was the late gnome Kalah from whom she had, in passing, heard a few raunchy tales of pleasure and passion. While his stories of dominance still frightened her even after his death, she would not let her fears jeopardize her most treasured relationship.

And as such, she found herself decided. Aerie was no longer torn, but she was still afraid, and that kept her from approaching her love. But as time before had proven, she found his presence more addicting than a drug. She needed to be near him, with him, so much that it physically hurt her to be so far away. It was this that kept her awake, and her mind had finally resigned in that she could not stand another night to be away from him. It was this that finally caused her to rise, and this that forced her to approach him, as the sky's tint finished its fade to black and the moon peaked its face over the tree line.

"My love…?" she called out first, when only a few feet from his throne of brooding. His white locks whipped around as if from a violent wind, his head snapping to the beckons. His eyes dilated at her sight, and she realized out of respect the half-elf must have avoided never looked at her when only in her linen underdress. The avariel would have considered it sweet, were she still not so timid.

After only a short silence and knowing she possessed his attention, she continued. "I…I know that you are tired from the day's travels and wish to rest." She hated stuttering and pausing, but the words spilt in their hasty exit, regardless of desire. "But…I wish to ask you something."

"Anything." He said in that almost magical voice that made her heart flutter even more.

"Here…come with me away from the eyes of others." The first reaction was from Jaheira, up against a tree a dozen feet out. She did not like that knowing look she got from the druid at all. The second was from Silver, which consisted more of curiosity and surprise. "We will not be very far from them." The mage cleric added quickly, "I just wish Privacy." Jaheira's look became a full on smirk, and Aerie responded by turning from her entirely and gazing solely at the one she cared for most.

Another uncomfortable pause, before the half-elf gave a single nod, rising, while indicating she lead. Aerie did so, taking his hand and leading him into the tent that they set up every night, but for some reason only rarely slept in. Once they were within and the flap closed, she turned back to Silver.

The avariel took a deep breath and felt a spike of courage, drawing her closer to the coming fall. "Now that we are alone…let me speak a moment." It felt almost ethereal, as she used the corny lead in she had coined nights before. "You have led me to a tremendous discovery, Silver…I have found that I do not need wings to fly."

What came next was honest. "I…do not have much experience with love, Silver. With your urging, I have become eager to experience new things…" She thought of the distant city of Baldur's Gate, and the great expanses of Tethyr. Places she wanted to see and be… With him.

Silver blinked only once, his eyes searching hers. Did he know what she was about to propose? It didn't matter, if he did not he would now. "…and now I wish to experience this." She closed her eyes, drawing in more air and strength. "I…I will show you my body Silver."

A practiced and effortless slip, and the gown fell free from her shoulders. Silver's eyes widened again, this time accompanied by a rose color that coloured the skin over his cheek bones. Despite his startlement, he kept his eyes fastened to her face, even though hormones hammered at his will to seek newly available targets.

She had wondered his reaction. Would he find her ugly? The stretches of scar tissue running knobbily over her shoulders were something she had always found disfiguring, but twice he had told her of his admiration of the avariel's beauty, and still now Aerie found no trace of disgust in his handsome face, only Affection. She continued down the course now laid. "I…hope it pleases you. Would you… Would you stay with me this night, Silver? Would you show me what true love consists of?"

The awkward silence seemed to stretch longer than the night could encompass, though she trusted Silver to make his decision kind and right. It had been he who had saved her from the brink of suicide from the loss of her wings, and she believed he would know how to play this game better than she… For both of them.

At last, he spoke. "Aerie… this isn't all that love is. Wouldn't… wouldn't you rather wait until the time is right?"

She didn't think _he_ would stutter, but it seemed Silver was having almost as much trouble as her. She processed his decline for her offer slowly, her thoughts coming to truthful . "I…don't know what love is, Silver. But…maybe it would be better to wait until all of this is over." The last ones leaked out before she could mute them. "The thought of laying with a man frightens me a little, I must admit…"

She felt suddenly protected, as a warm embrace enveloped her bare body. She enjoyed her lover's gift before he withdrew and walked toward the flap of the tent. So startled by his lack of presence, Aerie inadvertently reached out a hand. "Wait!"

He did so, turning back to her call. She paused, unsure as how to phrase her addiction to his presence. She clutched her wrist nervously, head bowing, feeling guilty at her neediness. "Then… Then stay with me the night, Silver. Hold me to you." She looked back up at him, eyes pleading in desperation. "I…don't want to be alone, and I so desperately need to be near you…"

He smiled, the first time that night. She did too. "That… I am more than willing to do, Aerie."

The moon climbed above the tree peaks, the couple settled in as the stars came. Once again clothed, the Avariel lay her head and hand on Silver's chest as one of his arms held her close to him. As Godchild fell off into slumber, he did not stir with troubling nightmares, and she continued to smile as her free hand ran through his hair, listening to the slow beat of the heart that was hers alone. "You are sweet to be so patient with me, Silver."

And so they slept, more intimate than any sexual encounter could have made them.


End file.
